A Journey Unforgiving: Part Three
by TheCobaltKiller
Summary: Erik, now knowing the horrible truth, sets out on a journey to the one place he never wished to go to... On his travel he meets a mysterious man, who shares the same destination as Erik. The two make their way there, with a few nasty encounters along the way, and finally, once they reach their last hope, it all gets worse...


Thoughts of everything that Erik had been through in the past few hours were flying around his brain, mocking his logic. Could it really be true? Could the young aspiring soldier really be a famous commander of thirty two years? And could the sixteen year old boy he had formed a partnership with really be but a few months old?

It was too much for him. He slammed the book shut and placed it where it belonged, before running back down the stairwell of the tower. As he ran out the door to the Golddale Archives, he shouted his thanks to the elf at the counter. He didn't stop running until he reached the Pegasus Inn. After gulping rather loudly, he stepped inside, to be greeted by the cute little smile of Alice. He gave his greetings in return and leant over the counter. He whispered in her ear,

"I know something I shouldn't. Come see me at six by the spring." And with that, he left. Not a single word was said, not from him nor Alice. He was angry, but he didn't know why or who he was angry at. Was it Ahkriloth? Or was it because of what Alexander said; 'We are bound by fate'? Moreover, he was confused. How was this even possible to begin with? Whose doing was this, if anyone's that is? So many unanswered questions, all shrouded in mystery.

When he walked down the dorm hallway of the church, he was sure to be quiet, so as to evade confrontation with Ahkriloth. When he found his room he pulled out his key and unlocked the door. He fell backwards on to his bed with a great huff. The bells of the church rang 17 times; it was now five in the afternoon.

Erik shut his eyes and began to think. So obviously, the Alexander they had met was from the past but somehow new the future because he knew about Ahkriloth and the manor, too, was from the past. The merchant could have been either past or present it was hard to tell. However, all Erik's research meant that the Ahkriloth he met was from the future. He jotted this all down in his trusty leather-bound notebook.

All this was too much for Erik and he slowly drifted into a deep sleep. 18 bell chimes woke Erik up, he rubbed his eyes and then jumped to attention. _Six in the evening!_ He thought, _I'm going to be late_. He hurriedly opened his door, stepped out and locked behind him. He ran down the halls and out the door. He could see a figure sitting, watching the spring and ran that way. He slowly approached Alice from behind, watching her hair gently flow with the wind. He sat down on the rock next to her and placed his hand on hers.

"I know the truth about Ahki and the Von Kreins and I-I'm going to have to go away for a while," said Erik, remorsefully.

"Oh! I-I understand," Alice's reply was much appreciated but Erik knew her true feelings as he could see it in her eyes.

"I'll return as soon as I can," he tried to sound optimistic but it was obvious he wasn't.

They stood up and then Alice asked where it was that Erik was headed. His reply was short and simple; 'Home'. Slowly he hugged her and they stood embracing one another for many minutes more. Alice rested her head on the right side of Erik's chest, a little left of his wound, and placed her right hand on the left side of his chest. She wished they could stay like that forevermore and so did he but the sun was setting and Erik planned to leave that night.

Then Erik gave her his final request; "Meet me at the Western side of the village tonight at eight and bring a horse."

He took hold of her hand and together they walked back to the village. When Erik got back to his room he pulled up a backpack and began to pack all that he needed. He packed a map, his notebook, a few more items of clothing and other items which he deemed necessities.

When the bell struck 20 times, Erik had been sat on his bed, polishing his sword. He calmed himself, sheathed his sword and then strapped it to his back. He grabbed his backpack and left, not forgetting to lock the door. When he got to the Western exit of the town he saw Alice with a horse, her face lit up by the moonlight. The tears in her beautiful blue eyes were glistening as Erik approached her.

"His name is Tornado," she said quietly, whilst patting the horse.

"I see," Erik replied. "Nice to meet you Tornado!" He patted the horse and it whinnied. He attached his backpack to Tornado's saddle and then mounted. Before he rode off he made sure his sword was strapped on tight and that he was secure on the horse.

"Let me come with you!" pleaded Alice.

"I'd feel much better knowing that you're safe here. I promise I won't be too long." He beckoned her towards him and she came closer and stood on tiptoes. He bent down and pressed his lips up against hers. "Goodbye," he said and with that he was gone.

Erik knew he was not the only nightrider. Orc and Goblins hunt on vicious hounds from dusk till dawn, thirsty for blood. He unstrapped his sheath and attached it to Tornado's saddle, in case he may have to draw it. Erik took a left turn, off the dusty trail they knew as a road, and found a little grotto.

He pulled out his map and read it using the little light seeping in through the trees, and found where he was. When he had spotted the nearest village, he jumped back on Tornado, patted him and said, "Just a few more kilometres now boy. Tornado whinnied delightfully and they left the grotto. Once they had reassumed their path, they slowly and steadily made way to the small village of Yorkhood, just beyond the horizon.

By the time the two companions had arrived, the sun had risen and the plaza was plentiful. Tornado trotted up to the inn, Erik on his back. Once Erik had dismounted, he tied Tornado's reign to a beam supporting the inn's balcony and walked in. All was silent as Erik stepped up to the counter and he could feel the dozen pairs of eyes burning into his neck. He leant on the counter and , to his surprise, was greeted by a young boy of about six years of age.

"How can I help you, sir?" His tone was sweet and he gave Erik a huge smile.

"A room for the day," he said and placed 150 Gold on the counter.

The boy took the money and put it in a big bag to his left. Then he spoke, "The day, sir? Don't you know we sleep at night?" Erik chuckled at this remark and told the boy of his night-time travels. "If you say so, sir. Just here please." He pointed to an empty slot by the room number of a vacant room and passed Erik a quill and an ink bottle.

Having written his name, Erik procured the room key from the boy and found his way to it, _Room 13_. He unlocked the door and it opened with a loud creak. He stepped in and peered out the window, spotting Tornado just beneath him. He went down to get his sword, still sheathed, and his backpack. When he returned to his room, he threw his bag and sword down onto his bed.

He sat in a chair and sighed. He took out his map, which he had rolled up and placed in his jacket's inner pocket, and opened it up. "Not too long to go now," he said to himself, trying hard to keep himself reassured. He ran his finger along his desired route on the map. If he rested up today, then he would be able to reach his destination by noon tomorrow, assuming he travelled for the entire night and morning.

As he rolled up the map and strapped it onto the side of his backpack, he heard shouts from the front of the inn. He took another look from his room's window and saw a large crowd in the plaza, creating an unwelcome uproar. As Erik jogged down the stairs and towards the door, the boy called out to him, "Don't worry about it, sir! They're just having a squabble over some vegetables, typical market day!"

Erik held back his laughter. A 'squabble'? He turned towards the stairs and called out, "Well thank you!" Once he had returned to his room, he cleared his bed and threw himself onto it. He soon fell into a deep slumber and didn't awake until the evening.

According to the young boy, it was about six o'clock and Erik could see the sun setting. He sat at an empty table, near the back and called the waitress over. He ordered a big meal to keep him full on his travels. Steam was rising up of off his lamb like a genie from a lamp. Not long after he had began eating a man, embellished in black, sat down opposite him.

"I hear you travel tonight," he spoke quietly and somewhat secretively.

"T-that's correct," Erik was almost too startled to reply.

The man laid bare his hood, revealing shoulder length platinum-blonde hair and some stubble. It seemed apparent that he was in a desperate rush. "Where are you headed?" His tone was as serious as the intimidating expression on his face.

"I'm off to North Gate," his reply seemed to trigger a fast response from the man,

"If you will, take me! I must go, I have business there!"

"Ok then," Erik was about to take another bite when the man spoke up again,

"Let us make haste! We should leave now if we wish to arrive there tomorrow."

Shortly after, Erik found himself riding off into the darkness, a stranger on his neck. As the hours past, the number of hopeless beggars that Erik and his two accompaniments had past was well over a dozen. Having once lived in a big city, taught Erik to disregard beggars and just shrug them off, but still he felt somewhat sorry for them. It was approaching two in the morning when the mysterious man leaped off of the horse.

Before Erik could react, the man had thrown three throwing knife, each one had found a home in a hound rider's neck. Four more goblins, this time on foot, appeared in front of them. Erik unsheathed his sword and dismounted Tornado. The first Goblin attacked and the man pulled out a hand axe and chopped at his head. In direct combo, he pulled out a tomahawk with his free hand and launched it through the air. It sliced open the neck of the second Goblin. The third was Erik's. He charged and did a spinning attack with his sword and relieved the Goblin of its head. Using the same motion, he did a cartwheel and grabbed the dead Goblin's sword, before launching it at the final Goblin. Green blood splattered everywhere as the sword pierced the Goblin's abdomen.

The stranger remounted as Erik searched the bodies. Before mounting himself, Erik through the man a bag of 500 Gold and put the rest of the loot in his backpack. Erik told the man that based on the bumps on the necks of the Goblins that they had come from a place where they might have been bitten by a lot of mosquitoes and thus such a location of origin could only be The Criosphinx's Elm Woodlands, to the north of them.

The man chuckled. "Still as sharp as always," he said to himself.

"What was that?"

"Oh! Nothing... I just said that your deductions are so incredible. Last time I experienced something this amazing must have been about fourteen years ago..."

"How old are you now?"

"Good old nine and twenty, going on thirty."

"That would have made you about fifteen going on sixteen, right? Heh, I have a friend around that age..."

"Oh I know," the man said, once again to himself.

On the twelfth hour after that very conversation, the two travellers and their transport arrived at North Gate. Having left Tornado safe and sound with a member of the Royal Guard and rearmed themselves, Erik and the mysterious man entered the lobby of the Holy Blade Inquisition's headquarters. The guard there stopped the two of them and asked if they had an appointment. Erik simply replied, "Tell General Sigma Erik Narukami is here."

A short while later, the guard returned and showed them to General Sigma's office. The sign read _General Cecil Sigma_. Upon entering, Erik and Cecil once again greeted each other and the general asked why he had returned to the big city. Erik explained that the two of them needed to see Commander Von Krein. Cecil showed the two of them through to where Alexander, his wife and the baby were. They were surrounded by guards.

"More aspiring soldiers for our army?" he asked as he turned around. "Sorry, but our barrack are full."

Erik replied with a smile, still looking down. "I am of the EUN, actually." The guards drew their swords and Erik, too, unsheathed his. The guards saw great threat and were ready to pounce; however, Alexander did not flinch. Erik pointed his sword at the Commander and then threw it to his feet. The guards sighed in relief.

"Then why are you here?" The question was asked with a confused smile but that quickly changed. Erik opened his jacket revealing his bandages. Alexander gasped with realization.

"For you it has been sixteen years, but for me it has been but a few days," Erik smiled as he said this. No words came from the reminiscing man by his wife and child.

The mysterious man interrupted Erik here, "And for me fourteen." All eyes turned to the mysterious man.

"A-Ahkriloth?!" This was too much for Erik. He fell to his knees and hit the ground. "Why?! How?!" It just wasn't fair.

"It was me who dragged you into the manor that day..." said Ahkriloth.

"But why?!"

"I needed help. Our world has fallen..."

"But why me?! Why the big act?!"

"I cast magic on a portal for it to bring me here now. But it messed up and sent me back to Golddale. I stayed at the inn and when I heard of you and your talent I paid the merchant, or rather great mage, to set up the meeting in Earthmoon Manor. The stab wound was merely a test of strength that I asked of Alexander. I needed to gain your trust first so I sent me of fifteen years to befriend you."

"But why?! Huh?! Why all this in the first place?!"

"Because I need you to do me a favour."


End file.
